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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 27, 2018 3:55:43 GMT
Two years ago I showed you dancers celebrating the 484th anniversary of Oaxaca. Yesterday my pooches and I narrowly missed running into an even bigger bunch of dancers and bands celebrating the 486th anniversary. What I did not want to miss, though, was another celebration in honor of the anniversary, the 2nd Meeting of Traditional Cooks of Oaxaca. Accordingly, I took myself off to the Plaza de la Danza shortly after noon today. Plaza de la Danza is to one side and a level above La Soledad church. I've shown it many times on anyport, most recently in 2017's Day of the Dead report. Here is a picture from that report showing the Plaza. You can see how large the space is. Today it was covered with a huge tent and positively crammed with food stalls and long tables for diners. The bleachers you see on the right side of that picture were even pressed into service for ad hoc kitchens. According to the publicity material, this is a meeting of "85 traditional cooks from the eight regions of Oaxaca, with more than 300 dishes, 30 regional desserts, and 20 authentic beverages". I first quickly went through the market of sustainable, organic, and traditional foodstuffs set up in the nearby school of Bellas Artes. After that, I far less quickly went through the "art of the kitchen" commercial space set up inside the Municipal Palace. I'd rather like to go back tomorrow, so there may be pictures then. There was a certain amount of the the stuff you see everywhere around here, but also some wonderful riffs on traditional pottery. One of the booths bore the name of Dolores Porras, a renowned ceramicist from Atzompa. She has been dead for some years, but the lovely woman running the booth said she was Porras' daughter-in-law and is also a potter. I couldn't figure out why she seemed familiar to me until it hit me that she might well have been the model for the large Porras figurine I own. You be the judge ~ Okay, enough chit-chat. Let's get on with the show! This is the mouth-watering sight that greets one at the entrance to the giant tent. You can see the top of La Soledad in the background and the city of Oaxaca climbing its hills ~ Tortillas by the zillions were being prepared ~ Stir that cauldron! I at first attempted to go around behind the outer line of booths, but quickly gave that up as every inch was used as cooking space ~ Traditional clay cooking pots covered with banana leaves ~ Getting there early afforded me this non-crowded view of the tent set-up ~
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 27, 2018 4:12:09 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 27, 2018 4:30:37 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 27, 2018 4:54:54 GMT
So what did Bixa eat? I just had to try the tamal de tichinda -- tichinda being a brackish-water clam from the coast of Oaxaca. Imagine my surprise when I opened the banana leaf package ~ A short while later ~ Heading toward the exit ~ The signs are in one of the Mixe languages ~ Snapped this guy's shirt on the fly ~ You can see the place really filled up ~ These pictures were taken from the stone landing overlooking the Plaza de la Danza ~ Barbacoa of either goat or young sheep, steaming away under agave leaves ~ Worker bees ~
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 27, 2018 5:31:41 GMT
This looks wonderful, but they killed a lot of dogs for that barbecue.
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Post by breeze on Apr 27, 2018 12:03:45 GMT
Covering this event will take some stamina on your part, bixa. How long will the festival go on? 300 dishes is a lot to taste in one weekend, but you can make a dent.
I have lots of questions, which you'll probably cover at some point, so I'll just ask one, about the head coverings in the black/white photo that seem to involve a lot of cloth but also maybe some padding. Why this particular form?
I'm wondering how many cities in the world could round up that many traditional cooks from the surrounding area, each representing the cooking of her town or village.
I bet we're all trying to imagine the smells in that tent.
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Post by mossie on Apr 27, 2018 16:26:55 GMT
Have to say a lot of the food does not appear to be to my taste, but that's me. One menu item really struck me, a combination of mole and iguana! How exotic can it get?
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Post by lagatta on Apr 27, 2018 20:37:35 GMT
Perhaps the padding made carrying loads on one's head more comfortable, and went on to become a fashion?
The array of Pre-Colombian foods is much richer and more varied that what people grew here, but there are definitely the Three Sisters, maize, squash and beans. I say "grew" - Indigenous people in the location where I live did have a lot of game, fish and fresh-water crustaceans available. And maple sap, of course!
yes, the iguana mole intrigued me too, but I'm sure I'd have opted for Bixa's choice.
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Post by Terri on Apr 28, 2018 2:20:06 GMT
Trust me, it was delicious. I had a smoked eggplant taco, a taco of wild mushrooms with a tortilla made from potato, delicious hand ground wheat tortillas, mashed potatoes with roasted carrot pieces, beef stewed in spices, ceviche on blue corn tortillas, and the wonderful clam/mussel tamale that she shows. There were simple things like a tlayuda, ice cream, or cookies also. But I am going back tomorrow for something new - and at least a couple of those tamales.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 28, 2018 5:41:50 GMT
Hi Breeze! I had to hold back yesterday, but made a bigger dent today -- will show the pictures. Those coverings on the women's heads are rebozos,a type of long rectangular shawl. Women from certain regions will often wrap their hair in them and make either a loose knot and let the rest hang down their backs, or double & arrange them to keep it all on top of their heads, probably to keep them out of the way as you see in that picture. I believe the way of using the rebozo is part of the typical dress of an area. Some of the younger women, may well use standard modern dress in their daily lives, but are wearing the traditional clothes for this occasion, as part of local pride. That's okay, Mossie. I freely grant that Mexican food can look off-putting, as the ingredients and even cooking techniques are so very different from what we grew up with. Trust me, though -- it is delicious. Yesterday I had a taste of guaximole -- a soupy dish with a base of guaje (immature seed pods of a local tree) pressed upon me. I was reluctant, because I hate guaje. Gotta say though, that guaximole tasted outstanding. And, if you're wondering -- iguana does taste like chicken! You're probably right about the wrapped rebozos, LaGatta -- practicality became fashion. And excellent point about what occurred locally being used. Are there indigenous people in Canada who adhere to their traditional foods and cooking methods? Hey ~ thanks so much, Terri! Except now I'm jealous. I had to hold back yesterday because of having an early supper date. And today I spent too much time in the artesanía section and the food tent was a mob scene when I wanted to eat. If I make it back over there tomorrow, I'll follow your lead and try more variety. Today I had the very filling Orden Oaxaqueño -- cracked corn, blood sausage, and barbacoa. Did you try the popo? (terrible name!) Who knew a glass of foam could be so delicious?
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 28, 2018 6:13:47 GMT
Let me make a start on cataloging the wonderful crafts on offer at the Encuentro de las Cocineras. This may or may not be of general interest, but it will serve as a reference to where these marvelous crafts come from. The Municipal Palace forms the western wall of the Plaza de la Danza and its two patios were the perfect spaces to showcase the state's artistry as applied to things for the kitchen and table. Each craft will be preceded by the banner identifying it ~
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 28, 2018 11:55:43 GMT
The work by the artisans is extremely nice. It is just a shame that so many of us already have too much stuff and mostly take care of it. This prevents us from acquiring more items. If we could just learn to pass along some of the older items, we could get some new stuff. For some reason, I have a weakness for bowls, but I just have too many of them, of every shape, size, motif and décor.
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Post by mossie on Apr 28, 2018 15:37:15 GMT
Yes, the flower decorated bowls appealed to me, and also the delicate glass flowers.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 28, 2018 16:37:22 GMT
I know what you mean, Kerouac. And I also have a bowl fetish so you can imagine just looking at all that stuff was hard for me. Interesting, Mossie -- you have refined tastes. It is hard trying to imagine what appeals to other people. I have a close friend whose house and taste I know well. The other day she showed me a clay piece she'd fallen in love with in a shop. I was completely shocked, as I disliked the piece & never in a million years would have pegged it as something she'd like. Anyway, moving right along with this parade of local crafts ~
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 28, 2018 16:55:20 GMT
I'm afraid I would have to take a pass on the octopus bowl.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Apr 28, 2018 18:19:47 GMT
I read that wrong....thought it's not THAT bad (for K to take a p*ss in)
Flipping marvelous Bixa, you've captured enough detail so that I can smell the food and hear the people (in my head. The crockery is beautiful ...what a vibrant thread. Love it.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 28, 2018 19:17:58 GMT
Whoops! Oh well, I guess I can make another card for that gift so that it doesn't read, "Enjoy, Kerouac! xx, Bixa". Hee hee, Cheery! Of course I was drawn to it, but its place in my heart was immediately usurped by the fish❤️ salsera next to it. Thank you so much for the kind words (and for the Share on facebook!) It was crowded and hot, but I think your Shopper aspect would have been glorying in it. Brace yourselves for more. On the bright side, I was so inspired that I stayed home today and cooked rather than attend the last day of the food fair. That means when I'm done with yesterday's pictures, I'm done.
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Post by lagatta on Apr 28, 2018 22:27:26 GMT
What a splendid thread! I really like those last plain red-clay bowls and other dishes, because they are very well finished and fit well into one another, which is too often not the case with artesan bowls. That is, they take up too much room for small kitchens with not much shelving. I do love the scarves and shawls; the pink, brown and black is very appealing as it is both pastel and more sombre tones. And the people look lovely.
There is a move to a return to traditional foods here among different Indigenous groups, but there has been so much resource destruction, especially the salmon on both coasts. Except to some degree on the west coast (the same cultural area where fumobici lives, as of course there was no such thing as a Canada-US border), there was not mucch sophisticated cooking, but there was an abundance of fish, other seafood and game, as well as plants to be foraged as well as those that are grown in what are now parts of southern Canada. Of course there were vast areas that were resource-poor, but people simply didn't live there.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 28, 2018 23:09:06 GMT
Thank you, LaGatta. Too true about the devil-may-care sizing and stability of artesan tableware. If you lived here, though, you'd wind up with some. The women who sell the red stuff -- which is not always as nice as the quality shown here -- tend to follow one around insistently, and the pieces do have charm. Very interesting information about the Indigenous people in those colder climates. Even though it can be quite frosty in the mountains of Mexico, overall it's a warmer country, so I suppose people can get by with fewer calories, plus don't have to contend with a long, long season of no growth. Wild greens are treasured here, even in the cities, and of course the ubiquitous nopal cactus gives its cheap and nutritious all. Let me continue dragging you all through the kitchen & table crafts ~ At this point I left the product stalls area to go seek food. I did come back to the product patio, though, in order to pick up the items I'd bought. It was when I returned that I discovered there was yet another patio with more stuff. I'm going to put that part in now, though, as I became severely and thrillingly distracted there, as you will see. When I walked into the hidden patio, the first thing I saw was the stall of marvels offered by Cuarto Suspiro. But I only managed to snap one picture of their exquisite and brilliantly imaginative creations because my eye was caught by oh my god oh my god oh my god ~ fish earrings!
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Post by lagatta on Apr 28, 2018 23:25:50 GMT
I do have fish earrings - silver, bought at a church bazaar, and I love them. I would so love a pair of those.
Why do we like fish objects so much? Is it a Catholic thing? (I also simply love fish).
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Post by breeze on Apr 29, 2018 0:54:00 GMT
Just about everything you've shown from the artisans' section is such high quality, of design and execution. The carved jicaras are works of art.
I like the way the artists smile at you so warmly. They are seeing you as more than a potential customer. I think they appreciate your appreciation of their work.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 29, 2018 1:22:05 GMT
Yours sound lovely, LaGatta. I have a treasured pewter pair given to me many years ago by the other Louisianian on this forum. They are copyrighted '84, signed by Gayle Clark, with the identification "black drum" beneath her name. My signature piece of jewelry would have to be my reticulated fish bracelet, a Taxco design I've had for years. I don't know where my fish fetish came from, only that I find the fish one of nature's most perfect and satisfying designs. Moving back into the hot and smoky food tent, I pass this metate bearing an arrangement of mole ingredients ~ Having seen these two women and their intriguing foam on the publicity video for the food fair -- (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1b9SwKq9Q8 <-- copy & paste, she's at 1:43), I just had to try some ~ She is furiously whirling the handle of the whisk to produce foam ~ Some of the ingredients: cacao beans and a vine which is the foaming agent. Here is a scholarly article. Use Ctrl+F to locate cocolmecatl & read all about it ~ I'm being served ~ Speaking of which, it was a real coup to get my order at this extremely popular stall ~ And here is my Orden Oaxaqueño. The sangre was sliced of a haggis-sized bladder of cooked blood & was delicious and subtle. The cracked corn, had divinely seethed in the seasoned meat juices. The messy bit in the back is where I had to use one of the tortillas as a bowl for salsa. It was a madhouse there ~ This seems like a good spot to insert a crash course in Oaxacan food: www.seriouseats.com/2014/09/introduction-oaxacan-mexican-cuisine.htmlI was serenaded as I ate ~ Waiting their turn on stage ~ What a great modern take on the traditional dress ~
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 29, 2018 1:46:04 GMT
It took me so long to crank out that last post, Breeze, that I didn't see your kind comments until now. Thank you! Oaxacacans seem always to respond to a smile with friendly warmth. The young man with the jícaras encouraged me to handle them for a closer look. I preferred not to get caught in a butterfingers! moment. It's time for my last turn through the tent before heading home. A stew with meat, vegetables, and the afore-mentioned greens ~ Enchiladas with black mole ~ The classic sopa de guias. Guias are the young stalks, leaves and "guides"/guias or climbing tendrils of the squash plant. It makes a lovely rich soup, perfectly thickened with tortilla dough. Yikes! This is just a small part of the throng waiting for roast pork ~ Meat eaters certainly could sustain themselves in other ways ~ I manage to worm out of the maelstrom for some relative calm and cooler air at the very edge of the tent. Others had the same idea ~ A pool of peace in front of La Soledad ~ Away from the serving area madness, these hard-working cooks seem to be enjoying themselves ~ Meanwhile, pots keep bubbling and tortillas puff with interior steam ~ Many thanks to all who looked and commented. Let's end this with some braids for Breeze ~
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 29, 2018 17:46:50 GMT
What a remarkable thread this is.
Do the people just let you take pictures of them?
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Post by breeze on Apr 29, 2018 18:00:28 GMT
Bixa, you seem pretty alarming to the group outside the tent. Maybe some cracked corn was stuck in your teeth?
The Serious Eats article took me down a rabbit hole. Is Oaxacan cooking the most subtle and varied in Mexico? After seeing your photos and imagining the smells as best I can, and then reading Serious Eats, I'm more tempted than ever by a visit to Oaxaca.
Love those braids!
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Post by bjd on Apr 29, 2018 18:23:50 GMT
I find this whole thread full of great photos but must admit that my favourites are the women cooking. What a fantastic collection of faces and costumes.
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 29, 2018 18:53:39 GMT
Having had the opportunity of being with Bixa in various food markets around Mexico, I can attest that it is a fabulous experience. Even though I will eat just about anything and almost always like it, it is so much more enriching to be with somebody who can explain the ingredients and cooking methods, as well as making suggestions for the innumerable condiments. When there is finally an Anyport meetup in Oaxaca, some of you will finally be able to validate what you already know -- that Bixa is a treasure here.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 29, 2018 18:59:23 GMT
Bixa, you seem pretty alarming to the group outside the tent. Maybe some cracked corn was stuck in your teeth? My first good laugh of the day -- thanks! I think they were all looking at the crowd inside the food tent, but yeah, maybe it was me. Ha ha ~ you have fallen into my clever trap. Gosh, it would be SO cool if you would visit here! I know what you mean about Serious Eats. It tries to cover a subject accurately and seriously. That's a pretty good Further Reading list at the end of the article, but a book that might be in your local library which is good for whipping up enthusiasm for regional Mexican food is A Cook's Tour of Mexico. It's from 1995, so very out-of-date in terms of restaurant recommendations, etc., but still a fun read. Here is a breezy blog post which has a great little video of Oaxaca's market & street food at the end: www.eternal-expat.com/2017/08/28/food-oaxaca-mexico/What a remarkable thread this is. Do the people just let you take pictures of them? Mick, thank you! Do they just let me take pictures?! Heck, the problem is to try to catch them unawares so they won't snap to with posing! *sigh* Really, they were there to show off their wares and as you can see, dressed with pride in their various regional clothing. And there were attendees with everything from giant professional cameras to Hello Kitty mobiles snapping away. If you'll note, my last picture in #21 caught the subjects unaware. But when the young woman turned towards me, I complimented her on her dress. That was the cue for her to face forward and pose and for the older woman to spring in front to get captured as well. I had discarded that picture, but here it is so you can see what I mean:
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 29, 2018 21:55:28 GMT
As usual, I rabbited on so much in my post and went off looking stuff up that I didn't see Bjd's and Kerouac's lovely comments. Thank you so much, Bjd. I agree that pictures of people unself-consciously going about their business make for the best photographic moments. Gosh, Kerouac -- thank you! Really, I also have you to thank as the impetus for this thread, since I made myself go to the event by thinking, "Kerouac keeps finding things of interest where he lives. Why can't I do the same?" And keep promoting that Mexico meet-up!
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Post by questa on Apr 30, 2018 12:46:45 GMT
Bixa, you have done it again! Filled my brain with the colours and beauty of your fabulous photos and marvellous people and crafts of Oaxaca. I love the octopus bowl, specially the 2 fish on it. I also dwelt long admiring the pottery and basket work and of course the fabrics. What is the material used to make the black bowls, plates etc? What gives it the black shine? The flower bowls are stunning. Can you add to the info on the link re the jicaras? The women are beautiful, aren't they? Your portraits of them are so vivid. Even the lady in the green apron in Reply #1 may not have a head but the skin on her arm just glows.
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